Fish farm keeps retiree busy

-Business offers a limited amount for local residents to buy or catch.

-Business offers a limited amount for local residents to buy or catch.

November 16, 2006

Alex Dozier steers his battered blue pickup down a seldom-traveled dirt road off Fillmore Road. His farm on Gale Road, east of Bowlers Country Club and west of the bypass, is a special place for him. Instead of raising crops or livestock, he's farming for fish. It's a "backyard-type" operation that produces a limited number of fish for local residents to buy or to catch themselves. But mainly, it's a way for Dozier, 65, retired from his factory job, to stay busy and relax at the same time. "Ever since I was a little boy, I have loved fishing," he said. "I remember sitting for hours and sometimes all night with my parents, just talking and waiting for the fish to bite. I know my love for fish and fishing come from my parents." The fish farm is in a manmade pond. It's about 11 or 12 feet deep and is stocked with a variety of fish. A lucky fisherman might catch an albino catfish or a white buffalo, and there's plenty of bluegill. "There's a lot of fish down there," he said. It's a small pond with enough room for only four fishermen at once. The business is open every day in the summer. Dozier charges $5, plus an amount for the fish you catch. He makes the trip daily to check on his fish and collect money from visitors. He has a state-of-the-art fish skinners where he can clean the fish right on site. Some people come to buy fish, while others want to catch the fish themselves. He also has scuba equipment on hand so that he can dive down and check his fish supply. A fountain runs all the time, except in the winter, to keep oxygen in the pond. "Everyone has the same question: 'How are you going to make money raising fish?'æ" he said. "I've just tried to explain to them that this is more of a hobby than a business," he said. Dozier said he's not expecting to turn a huge profit, but he is surprised by just how much business he has been able to generate this year. "Now as this idea of fishing at a fish farm starts to get more attention, we're getting more people on board," he added. Of course, with colder weather coming on, business is slowing down this winter. He's been told the fish need light to survive the winter, so he'll be shoveling off some of the snow once the pond freezes. He'll try to keep the fish farm open as late into the season as he can. "I consider myself his PR man," said Sylvester Buckingham Jr. "I come out here all the time to fish and relax. Just listening to the sound of the water is relaxing, but to catch fish too makes coming out here a wonderful experience."Staff writer May Lee Johnson: mjohnson@sbtinfo.com (574) 235-6326